Red Bulls aim to continue the attack in second leg vs. D.C. United on Sunday

The Red Bulls are looking to boot rival D.C. United out of the MLS playoffs on Sunday. (Noah K. Murray/USA Today Sports)

The Red Bulls' practice Saturday morning sounded more like an elementary school playground than the training field of a team one day away from its biggest game of the season. Players laughed, whooped and hollered during a one-touch drill in the early portion of the session, erupting at each clever touch and creative pass. The mood was far from tense.

But that's how the Red Bulls have conducted themselves all year, and they're not going to change now — even if Sunday's second leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals against D.C. United could mean the end of their sensational 2015 campaign.

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"This is a team that understands how to be focused, understands how to have a good time," Jesse Marsch said. "We're serious when we need to be serious, but we try to enjoy it too."

And there's been plenty to enjoy this season for Marsch and his players. The Red Bulls won the Supporters' Shield after finishing with the best regular season record in MLS, clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. So after beating D.C. 1-0 last weekend in the nation's capital, Marsch's squad returns home to Red Bull Arena Sunday for a chance to oust their biggest rival in front of the home fans.

The game kicks off at 3 p.m.

"The reality of the situation doesn't escape anyone. Everyone knows that one slip up here at any point, whether it's tomorrow or down the road, and your season's done," Marsch said. "We're not afraid of that. You can't be. If you play with fear then you usually find ways to fail."

From the MLS conference semifinals on, teams matched up in the playoffs square off twice in what are referred to as the first and second legs. Whichever side holds the advantage in aggregate score — the score of the two games added together — advances to the next round. If the score is tied, the team with more away goals advances. If the away goals are tied, the winner is decided in a penalty shootout.

With a 1-0 lead and an away goal in their back pockets, the Red Bulls could advance with either a win or tie in their home leg against D.C. But Marsch does not plan on changing his team's aggressive, pressing style.

"The awareness that we have the goal lead means that there can be slightly more cautiousness, but we want to score goals," Marsch said. "This is our nature. This is who we are. This is what we've become. So if I came into a meeting and said we're gonna sit back and pack it in, they would all look at me like 'What are you talking about? We don't even know how to do that.'"

The Red Bulls are a tight-knit bunch as they look to make long run in the MLS playoffs. (Bill Denver/for New York Daily News)

That approach certainly fits in with the team's culture and mentality. If they're not altering their loose, happy-go-lucky attitude on the practice pitch, they're certainly not going to adjust their in-game tactics.

As the old adage goes: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

"This is the best group of guys I've played with in my career. I enjoy coming to work every day," midfielder Sacha Kljestan said. "I know Jesse loves being here every day because he loves everybody on the team. We've created this group and this belief in ourselves that pushes us a long way."

Kljestan said that environment starts with Marsch. Goalkeeper Luis Robles recounted how the coach was cracking jokes at Saturday's video session. Marsch said he prefers to splice in some funny videos.

"At the end of the day, we do know it is an important game," Robles said. "But it's not any different than what we've done all season."

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Marsch knows how important it is, both mentally and physically, for his players to be relaxed. And as the group cackled together during the passing drill at the start of practice Saturday, Marsch looked on from a distance.